How Do You Get A Good Pic For Your Portfolio??
Decorating By eieio1234 Updated 17 Apr 2007 , 12:11am by LittleLinda
Can someone give me pointers on getting good pics?? I always have a glare or it looks dull or the angle isn't that good. Or the flash drowns out the details. When I try to drape fabric under the cookies/cakes it looks dorky!! Also, any suggestions on photo software to get nice edges on the pics and maybe a watermark?
eieio1234
Get some black fabric. A couple of yards. Purchase a couple of studio lights. You can get them from Ebay and they are well worth the small output. Table top set-up is just fine and cheaper. Set one light looking down on the cake and one light looking up to the cake to balance the shadows as best you can. Don't use a flash! Do not poof your fabric for black. Everything fads into it if done right. If you want other colors to offset you cake, set your cake up on a book and then drape your fabric. I use a spot set up for specifically in my studio so no other light bothers the scene. I have my fabric hang and flow over a table.
Now for photo software, I don't use anything except what Kodak gave me with my digital.
To get a watermark I use the paint program in Microsoft. Fast and Easy.
Hope that helps.
And remember, after everything is said and done, only the photos remain.
I agree with the natural light. I was taking pics at night with a flash and they were just awful. I started waiting until morning with natural light coming in the window, a black background, and no flash unless needed. Much better photos compared to my flash/night pics.
I agree with a black background....it does really make the cake pop and also cuts down on any unwanted shadows! I use two black foamcore boads, I prop one against the wall on my kitchen counter and the other under the cake.....since it's black you won't see where the two intersect!
I like to refrigerate my cakes first. I did a train cake with cream cheese frosting and took pic's right away, they're sooo shiny. When I took the cake out of the fridge the next day it looked way better, wish I thought to snap a few pictures.
And I second or third the black background. Love it!
I also use black boards as background (which I later edit out, see: www.emmascakes.co.uk for examples) Where possible I take my photos outside as the natural light is much better.
Well, the black background seems to be a biggie, huh!? I haven't done that yet, but sure will.
I did notice that natural light was better, I'm going to have to plan for that. I was just transferring some pics from the camera to the computer earlier and some cakes have like 30-40 pics! LOL! MOST of the pics stink though! I hate that, it's one thing to be critical of your work, but it's so much worse when the cake or cookie is right in front of your face and it looks better than the pic you just took!
I will be trying both natural light & black foamboard, thanks 
I usually just make sheetcakes. I put them on my counter and stand on a bar-type stool and lean with my camera directly over the cake. I zoom in as close as possible and take the picture. They always come out good. (except when it's frosted in chocolate ... then I get a glare.) If I take a picture of another kind of cake that must be taken from a side view, I have somebody hold up a maroon curtain that's hanging on a small tension rod behind it.
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